Time to tackle three-decker gaps

Tuesday

Sep 24, 2013 at 6:00 AM

Razed three-deckers leave unsightly gaps in some of Worcester's neighborhoods.

Lots sit vacant, too small for new houses under existing zoning rules.

But the door is open to discussion. A local developer's proposal to the Planning Board to lower the lot-size requirements was turned down last week, members saying the rule change as proposed was too broad. But in response to the petition by local developer Arthur Mooradian, the officials did favor revisiting the city's residential land-use rules.

Indeed, the rules should get a fresh look.

The problem is only going to get worse. Decades ago, three-deckers served factory workers, immigrants and others of modest means. They went up on narrow lots, one after another along many city streets, each floor an airy apartment able to serve a growing family within walking distance of stores and jobs.

Worcester does not build this type of housing anymore, but it does build modern, affordable homes for people just starting out and others needing or choosing to live frugally.

It's time to plan for the land triple-deckers leave behind when they need to be torn down.

They tend to sit on lots of 4,000 or less square feet, and 35 feet or less from the street. The city's RG-5 regulations call for homes on a lot of at least 5,000 square feet, and with at least 50 feet of frontage.

The regulations could be amended to allow for lower standards only on parcels that previously held three-deckers.

Whatever the city decides, it would also make sense to handle some cases lot by lot. If a vacant lot is flanked by two well-maintained three-deckers, for instance, the flanking property owners could be given incentives to purchase some or all of the lot to enhance their yards or provide for parking.

Three-deckers represent a pragmatic and historic housing style, and are a pleasing part of our city. For the ones we have left in top condition, we hope owners will keep them that way for years to come; hundreds of others could be restored or cleaned up. But attention needs to be paid to the spaces between the three-deckers. Where practicable, for the good of the city's liveability and bottom line, we would like to see small homes built where tall three-deckers once stood.